What lies across the Himalayas?

But India’s collective perception of China need not necessarily be congruent with the Defence Ministry’s.

In the polite discourse of public statements and press commentaries, Chinese officials focus on the upside: shared global interests, complementary trade and the salutary effects of brisk competition between friendly neighbours. While these arguments all make some sense, they do not tell the whole story. In India, China can only see a potential rivalâ€”if not now, then soonâ€”for natural resources, foreign capital and, above all, export markets.

Pei Yuanying, a former Chinese ambassador to India, argues that such competition need not be a problem. â€œThe crucial pointâ€, he says, â€œis to see whether this competition is virtuous or vicious.â€ [The Economist]

5 thoughts on “What lies across the Himalayas?”

Somehow i feel that Indians see China more as a threat compared to what the Chinese perceive of India. (A fact visible in the ridiculous visa policy for the Chinese. I can get a year long multiple entry visa to China in 3 days. For a Chinese to get an Indian tourist visa needs a clearance from ministry of external affairs and several weeks if not months.)
Also, The “wrong history” that we get to hear or read of the war in 1960s dosn’t help much. There is not much information about China in India and most of the coverage tends to be of business and economics. Though I think one of the best travel book about China is written by an Indian – Vikram Seth.

Search across INI

Somehow i feel that Indians see China more as a threat compared to what the Chinese perceive of India. (A fact visible in the ridiculous visa policy for the Chinese. I can get a year long multiple entry visa to China in 3 days. For a Chinese to get an Indian tourist visa needs a clearance from ministry of external affairs and several weeks if not months.)
Also, The “wrong history” that we get to hear or read of the war in 1960s dosn’t help much. There is not much information about China in India and most of the coverage tends to be of business and economics. Though I think one of the best travel book about China is written by an Indian – Vikram Seth.